Universally positionable mounting device

A mounting device for interposing along a line of juncture between a pair of relatively movable and relatively stationary objects, to support the relatively movable object on the relatively stationary object at a selected angular orientation of the line of juncture with respect to one of the objects, comprising:

• means for forming a first coupling member on a first of the objects and a base on a second of the objects at spaced first and second loci, respectively, adjacent opposite ends of the line of juncture,
• a split arm assembly comprising a pair of elongated relatively rigid arm sections which are operatively juxtaposed to one another along the line of juncture between the spaced first and second loci of the first coupling member and the base, and have pairs of corresponding first and second end portions thereof that are operatively opposed to one another across a plane coincident with the line of juncture,
• the first coupling member having a body with part spherical surfaces at the outer periphery thereof that are disposed on opposite sides of the plane of the line of juncture to substantially coincide with a first circle of revolution having its center at the first locus of the first coupling member, and also having pressure deformable material therein so that the body of the first coupling member can be squeezed between the surfaces thereof to less than the diameter of the first circle of revolution,
• means forming a pair of operatively opposing first sockets in the pair of first end portions of the respective arm sections,
• means for applying initial clamping forces to the pair of arm sections to squeeze the pair of arm sections together relatively crosswise the plane of the line of juncture,
• means for producing a differential in the reaction of the respective pairs of first and second end portions of the arm sections to the initial clamping forces so that when squeezed together, the pair of arm sections assumes a relatively transversely contracted disposition thereof about the first coupling member and the base in which the pair of first sockets in the pair of first end portions is operatively engaged about the outer peripheral surfaces of the first coupling member in substantial coincidence with the first circle of revolution, but the pair of second end portions is spaced apart from one another about the base to the extent that although the pair of arm sections forms a connection between the first coupling member and the base, the connection allows the pair of arm sections to be squeezed further together about the base,
• the pair of first sockets being adapted to form a first ball and socket joint with the outer peripheral surfaces of the first coupling member when the pair of arm sections assumes the relatively transversely contracted disposition thereof about the first coupling member and the base, so that the first coupling member and the pair of arm sections can be pivoted in relation to one another at the first joint to position the line of juncture at a selected angular orientation with respect to the one object,
• means for applying additional clamping forces to the pair of arm sections to squeeze the pair of arm sections further together
• relatively crosswise the plane of the line of juncture when the pair of arm sections is in the relatively transversely contracted disposition thereof about the first coupling member and the base, and
• means for producing a differential in the reaction of the respective pairs of first and second end portions of the arm sections to the additional clamping forces so that when squeezed further together in the relatively transversely contracted disposition thereof, the pair of arm sections pivots in relation to one another about the first coupling member to reduce the space between the second end portions of the respective arm sections about the base while the pair of first sockets engages the outer peripheral surfaces of the body of the first coupling member to squeeze the body therebetween and interlock the pair of arm sections with the first coupling member to rigidify the connection between the first coupling member and the base at the selected angular orientation of the line of juncture with respect to the one object.

A mounting device for interposing along a line of juncture between a pair of relatively movable and relatively stationary objects, to support the relatively movable object on the relatively stationary object at varying angular orientations of the line of juncture with respect to one of the objects, comprising:

• means for forming a first coupling member on a first of the objects and a base on a second of the objects at spaced first and second loci, respectively, adjacent opposite ends of the line of juncture,
• a split arm assembly comprising a pair of relatively rigid arm sections which are adapted to be operatively juxtaposed to one another along the line of juncture between the spaced first and second loci of the first coupling member and the base, and have faces thereon which are operatively opposed to one another across a plane coincident with the line of juncture,
• releasable clamping means for reciprocating the pair of arm sections in relation to one another relatively crosswise the plane of the line of juncture to form the split arm assembly into a bifurcated arm assembly which has its apex at the second locus of the base and is engaged about the first coupling member,
• means forming a pair of operatively opposing first sockets in the faces of the respective arm sections having substantially smooth part spherical surfaces at the inner peripheries thereof which substantially coincide with a circle of revolution that has its center at the first locus of the first coupling member when the bifurcated arm assembly is engaged in a first position thereof about the first coupling member,
• the first coupling member having a substantially smooth part spherical surface thereon which forms the outer periphery thereof and substantially coincides with the circle of revolution, so that the pair of first sockets and the first coupling member form a relatively rotatable ball and socket joint in the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly,
• the clamping means being operable in the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly to reciprocate the pair of arm sections in relation to one another to a second position of the bifurcated arm assembly in which the first sockets assume a disposition relatively radially within the circle of revolution, and the first coupling member being sufficiently radially compressible at the outer peripheral surface thereof that between the first and second positions of the bifurcated arm assembly, the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of first sockets can deform the surface of the first coupling member to interlock the bifurcated arm assembly with the first coupling member and vice versa, but
• the inner peripheral surfaces of the first sockets also being substantially smooth over sufficient arcuate extent circumferentially of the outer peripheral surface of the first coupling member and the first coupling member being sufficiently resilient at the surface thereof, that when the clamping means are released, the pair of first sockets and the first coupling member reform a relatively rotatable ball and socket joint at the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly, so that the bifurcated arm assembly can be rotated about the first coupling member to vary the angular orientation of the line of juncture with respect to the first coupling member,
• and wherein when the clamping means are released, the pair of arm sections are reciprocable in relation to one another to a third position of the bifurcated arm assembly in which the faces of the pair of arm sections are sufficiently spaced apart about the first locus of the first coupling member that the first coupling member is detachable from the bifurcated arm assembly and vice versa,
• and the base takes the form of a second coupling member having a substantially smooth part spherical surface thereon which forms the outer periphery thereof, the second coupling member is also compressible radially thereof at the outer peripheral surface thereof, and the mounting device further comprises means forming a pair of operatively opposing second sockets in the faces of the respective arm sections which have substantially smooth part spherical surfaces at the inner peripheries thereof that are rotatably engageable with the second coupling member at the outer peripheral surface thereof in the respective positions of the bifurcated arm assembly lying between the third and first positions thereof inclusive, and which progressively seize the second coupling member by compressing and deforming the surface thereof to interlock the bifurcated arm assembly with the second coupling member when the pair of arm sections are reciprocated in relation to one another in the direction of the second position of the bifurcated arm assembly from the first position thereof.

A mounting device for interposing along a line of juncture between a pair of relatively movable and relatively stationary objects, to support the relatively movable object on the relatively stationary object at varying angular orientations of the line of juncture with respect to one of the objects, comprising:

• means for forming a first coupling member on a first of the objects and a base on a second of the objects at spaced first and second loci, respectively adjacent opposite ends of the line of juncture,
• a split arm assembly comprising a pair of relatively rigid arm sections which are adapted to be operatively juxtaposed to one another along the line of juncture between the spaced first and second loci of the first coupling member and the base, and have faces thereon which are operatively opposed to one another across a plane coincident with the line of juncture,
• releasable clamping means for reciprocating the pair of arm sections in relation to one another relatively crosswise the plane of the line of juncture to form the split arm assembly into a bifurcated arm assembly which has its apex at the second locus of the base and is engaged about the first coupling member,
• means forming a pair of operatively opposing first sockets in the faces of the respective arm sections having substantially smooth part spherical surfaces at the inner peripheries thereof which substantially coincide with a circle of revolution that has its center at the first locus of the first coupling member when the bifurcated arm assembly is engaged in a first position thereof about the first coupling member,
• the first coupling member having a substantially smooth part spherical surface thereon which forms the outer periphery thereof and substantially coincides with the circle of revolution, so that the pair of first sockets and the first coupling member form a relatively rotatable ball and socket joint in the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly,
• the clamping means being operable in the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly to reciprocate the pair of arm sections in relation to one another to a second position of the bifurcated arm assembly in which the first sockets assume a disposition relatively radially within the circle of revolution, and the first coupling member being sufficiently radially compressible at the outer peripheral surface thereof that between the first and second positions of the bifurcated arm assembly, the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of first sockets can deform the surface of the first coupling member to interlock the bifurcated arm assembly with the first coupling member and vice versa, but
• the inner peripheral surfaces of the first sockets also being substantially smooth over sufficient arcuate extent circumferentially of the outer peripheral surface of the first coupling member and the first coupling member being sufficiently resilient at the surface thereof, that when the clamping means are released, the pair of first sockets and the first coupling member reform a relatively rotatable ball and socket joint at the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly, so that the bifurcated arm assembly can be rotated about the first coupling member to vary the angular orientation of the line of juncture with respect to the first coupling member, and
• the first coupling member having a reduced diameter neck at a side thereof opposed to the part spherical outer peripheral surface thereof, and the first sockets having rims formed thereabout in the faces of the respective arm sections, and indentations in the respective rims thereof at the plane of the line of juncture, which together are greater in width than the neck so that the bifurcated arm assembly can be rotated about the locus of the first coupling member to angular orientations in which the line of juncture extends at right angles to the neck of the first coupling member.

A mounting device for interposing along a line of juncture between a pair of relatively movable and relatively stationary objects, to support the relatively movable object on the relatively stationary object at varying angular orientations of the line of juncture with respect to one of the objects, comprising:

• means for forming a first coupling member on a first of the objects and a base on a second of the objects at spaced first and second loci, respectively, adjacent opposite ends of the line of juncture,
• a split arm assembly comprising a pair of relatively rigid arm sections which are adapted to be operatively juxtaposed to one another along the line of juncture between the spaced first and second loci of the first coupling member and the base, and have faces thereon which are operatively opposed to one another across a plane coincident with the line of juncture,
• releasable clamping means for reciprocating the pair of arm sections in relation to one another relatively crosswise the plane of the line of juncture to form the split arm assembly into a bifurcated arm assembly which has its apex at the second locus of the base and is engaged about the first coupling member,
• means forming a pair of operatively opposing first sockets in the faces of the respective arm sections having substantially smooth part spherical surfaces at the inner peripheries thereof which substantially coincide with a circle of revolution that has its center at the first locus of the first coupling member when the bifurcated arm assembly is engaged in a first position thereof about the first coupling member,
• the first coupling member having a substantially smooth part spherical surface thereon which forms the outer periphery thereof and substantially coincides with the circle of revolution, so that the pair of first sockets and the first coupling member form a relatively rotatable ball and socket joint in the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly,
• the clamping means being operable in the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly to reciprocate the pair of arm sections in relation to one another to a second position of the bifurcated arm assembly in which the first sockets assume a disposition relatively radially within the circle of revolution, and the first coupling member being sufficiently radially compressible at the outer peripheral surface thereof that between the first and second positions of the bifurcated arm assembly, the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of first sockets can deform the surface of the first coupling member to interlock the bifurcated arm assembly with the first coupling member and vice versa, but
• the inner peripheral surfaces of the first sockets also being substantially smooth over sufficient arcuate extent circumferentially of the outer peripheral surface of the first coupling member and the first coupling member being sufficiently resilient at the surface thereof, that when the clamping means are released, the pair of first sockets and the first coupling member reform a relatively rotatable ball and socket joint at the first position of the bifurcated arm assembly, so that the bifurcated arm assembly can be rotated about the first coupling member to vary the angular orientation of the line of juncture with respect to the first coupling member, and
• the first sockets having rims formed thereabout at the faces of the respective arm sections and cruciate grooves at the inner peripheries thereof subdividing the part spherical surfaces thereof into four relatively smaller part spherical surfaces apiece, each of which terminates at the groove in the respective first socket and the rim thereabout.